Russellville OKs appointment of Apple as city finance directorBy Sean Ingram managingeditor@couriernews.com The Russellville City Council approved the appointment of Tori Apple of Searcy as the city's director of finance during Thursday night's regular meeting at City Hall. Apple will begin her duties March 1. She was appointed by the council on the recommendation of the Personnel Committee, chaired by Alderman Ronnie Tripp. She was one of 11 applicants seeking the job. The council, Mayor Raye Turner and...

Fast and furious growthFuture projects include Phoenix underpass, State Highway 124 overpass Editor's Note: This is the third and final part of a series of articles focusing on Russellville's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). By Sean Ingram managingeditor@couriernews.com The city of Russellville's five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) allocates revenues to rehabilitate, restore, improve and add to the city's infrastructure. Prepared by the Public Works Office and s...

Yell County ponders contract, construction of courthousesBy Josh Troy postdispatch@centurytel.net DANVILLE - Discussion about hiring Crafton, Tull & Associates, Inc., as the architects to design a court room to be annexed with the courthouse in Dardanelle highlighted discussion at Monday's Yell County Quorum Court meeting. The courts will be annexed where the old Armory was located. County Judge Brad Wear said he was most familliar with the work of Crafton, Tull & Associates, Inc., from the job they...

Interviews continue for city finance director postPersonnel Committee to meet at 6 p.m. Monday By Sean Ingram newseditor@couriernews.com The Personnel Committee of the Russellville City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Monday to conduct interviews among the applicants for the city's finance director position. Committee members began reviewing 11 resumes prior to Tuesday's Finance Committee and Agenda Preparation meetings at Russellville City Hall. Next Monday is the final day the city will accept ...

Planning commissioners discuss preventing sex-related businessesBy Brooke Vermillion government@couriernews.com ATKINS - Recent events in Clarksville surrounding the regulation of sexually-oriented businesses have started a ripple effect leading other cities to look into implementing similar ordinances. The Atkins Planning Commission, during its regular meeting Tuesday night, brought up the idea of proposing an ordinance to the city council pertaining to limitations on sexually-oriented businesses as a pre...

Millage ponderedJustice wants to raise revenue, shrink spending By Brooke Vermillion government@couriernews.com Justice of the Peace Roger Freeman cleared up some confusion this past Thursday night at the Pope County Quorum Court meeting when he explained his suggestion to tax private clubs within Pope County was only one idea of how to increase county revenue. Freeman further expressed his budget concerns for the upcoming year to other quorum court members. ...

City public works director foresees 3 leading projectsBy Sean Ingram newseditor@couriernews.com Three capital improvement projects stand out when city Public Works Director Morgan Barrett looks into his 2006 crystal ball. While other projects will be completed soon - including the turn signal and renovations to the intersection of Parkway and Detroit Avenue -and others will continue (work on 16th Street is scheduled to go on into 2007) your tax dollars will continue to be hard at work this year. ...

Lack of money in pension fund forces firefighters to retireBy Scarlet Sims area@couriernews.com Russellville Fire Department captain Jim Keller thought he could extend his Deferred Retirement Option Plan and continue working as a Russellville firefighter. He was wrong. "We thought we were going to be able to get the plan extended," Keller said, who will retire at the end of February. "I would like to have the option. I was excited about it." He's not the only one facing retirement. At least four longt...

Hirings anticipated for police, fire departments in RussellvilleBy Scarlet Sims area@couriernews.com The Russellville Civil Service Commission invoked an emergency clause during its regular meeting Tuesday to allow Russellville Fire Chief Dennis Miller to hire a paramedic. The fire department will be hiring more than a paramedic in the near future, Miller said. Four additional firefighters are set to retire Feb. 26, Feb. 27, May 1 and July 1. Furthermore, lieutenant and captain tests will have to be given ...

Patrol cars OK'd - after much discussionBy Brooke Vermillion government@couriernews.com After much discussion, the Pope County Quorum Court authorized the purchase of two new patrol cars for the sheriff's office Thursday night. Pope County Sheriff Jay Winters expressed concern Tuesday night at the Quorum Court budget committee that the department's full-time patrol units were posing a threat to officers because of the high mileage on the cars. But Winters' original request for the q...

Legislator appointed to special education committeeBy Janice Penix education@couriernews.com State Rep. Michael Lamoureux (R-Russellville) was recently named to a legislative task force that will help oversee the resolution of the federal desegregation lawsuit originally filed by the Little Rock School District in the late 1980s. Lamoureux is one of five representatives and five senators who will serve on the Arkansas Public School Desegregation Lawsuit Resolution Task Force, which was establi...

City treasurer cashes in post for job in Little RockBy Sean Ingram newseditor@couriernews.com The city of Russellville will begin the search for a new treasurer after Jennifer Humphrey announced her resignation Thursday, effective Feb. 17. Humphrey, who was appointed by the Russellville City Council as treasurer in October 2004, said Thursday she has accepted a private position (internal auditing) with a company in Little Rock. "One of the challenges (since I became treasurer) was to work with ...

Sheriff: Old cars pose danger to county deputiesOptions suggested for purchasing new vehicles By Brooke Vermillion government@couriernews.com Pope County Sheriff Jay Winters expressed concern Tuesday night during the Quorum Court's budget committee meeting regarding the county's full-time patrol units. "We're in a critical need for some patrol cars," Winters said, explaining there are 11 vehicles at the sheriff's office that have more than 150,000 miles. The sheriff said although Pope Count...

County looks to private clubs for extra revenueBudget committee says look into liquor tax By Brooke Vermillion government@couriernews.com Members of the budget committee for the Pope County Quorum Court provided positive feedback Tuesday night in the discussion of possibly taxing private clubs within Pope County, along with the sale of mixed drinks at the establishments, to provide revenue for the county. Justice of the Peace Roger Freeman presented a proposed resolution slated from state'...

Building on assetsEditor's note: This is the second part of a five-part series focusing on local growth. By Sean Ingram newseditor@couriernews.com City planner Jim von Tungeln released the draft proposal from the Growth of the River Valley committee, which met at various times during the past year, at the Jan. 19 Russellville City Council meeting. The draft proposal includes five primary topics: Fixing the basics; Building on Assets; Creating Neighborhoods of C...

Liquor tax up for discussionQuorum Court budget committee to discuss proposed ordinance By Brooke Vermillion government@couriernews.com A discussion of a proposed ordinance that would tax private clubs within Pope County, along with the sale of mixed drinks at the clubs, is set to take place at 7 tonight in the Quorum Court room of the county courthouse in Russellville. The ordinance - which explains the new licensing fee, tax percentage on gross proceeds, and fees based...

Plans to make Dardanelle courthouse ADA compliant notedFunds coming from Yell County one-cent sales tax By Josh Troy postdispatch@centurytel.net The one-cent sales tax is in effect for Yell County and making the Dardanelle courthouse compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a top priority. One-eighth of the sales tax is earmarked toward courthouse improvements in both Dardanelle and Danville. The Quorum Court's Dardanelle Courthouse Annex Construction Committee met with Greg Bar...

Pottsville OK's bylaws governing operation of fire departmentBy Scarlet Sims area@couriernews.com POTTSVILLE - After much discussion, the Pottsville City Council opted to pass the fire department's bylaws during its monthly meeting Monday. The bylaws, which govern how the department operates, had been tabled for months pending revisions from the assistant fire chief, Brad Judkins. Besides concerns about the power of the chief to enforce fire codes, some city council members said the fire department was ...

Intermodal seeks to amend bylaws, extend term limitsBy Scarlet Sims area@couriernews.com The River Valley Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority is looking to amend its by-laws to prevent three original members' terms from expiring. "It's a bad time to change (members)," Dick Perkins told the authority during its monthly meeting Tuesday. "We're in an awkward situation to change. This thing (port) is going to be under construction for about three years." He recommended the authority go to the ...

Rules set for sexually oriented businessClarksville alderman approve guidelines By Janice Penix education@couriernews.com CLARKSVILLE -City council members unanimously approved a 22-page ordinance regulating sexually oriented businesses during a called meeting Wednesday. The ordinance will apply to any future sexually oriented businesses that attempt to locate in Clarskville and also places some regulations on the X-Mart Adult Supercenter, which opened in the town about three weeks ...